President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday jointly awarded the baton of field marshal to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Syed Asim Munir during a formal investiture ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad.
This ceremonial promotion followed the federal cabinet’s recent decision to elevate General Munir to the prestigious five-star rank of field marshal in recognition of his distinguished leadership during recent military clashes with India and the successful execution of “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.”
The cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz, commended Munir’s role in safeguarding national security and leading a successful strategic response to external aggression. The title of field marshal, the highest attainable rank in the Pakistan Army, is above the rank of general and is conferred in exceptional cases of merit.
During the event at the Presidency, the prime minister called the moment “a profound national honour and a historic milestone,” praising the armed forces for their decisive and effective response under Munir’s command. He acknowledged the leadership of Field Marshal Munir, CJCSC General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, and Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf for securing a “resounding victory against an enemy blinded by arrogance.”
“Our military not only defended Pakistan’s borders but struck deep within enemy territory, forcing the adversary into submission within days,” Shehbaz said.
Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos
The Pakistan Armed Forces launched a large-scale counter-offensive codenamed “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos” in response to Indian military actions along the Line of Control (LoC) and within Pakistani territory. The operation involved targeted strikes on Indian military assets across multiple regions and was described as both “precise and proportionate.”
During the operation, Pakistan reportedly downed six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, and destroyed dozens of drones. The conflict concluded after nearly 87 hours with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States. The confrontation left 53 people dead on the Pakistani side, including 13 military personnel and 40 civilians.
Profile: Field Marshal Asim Munir
Asim Munir began his military career through the Mangla Officers Training School and was commissioned into the Frontier Force Regiment. He has held several critical positions throughout his service, including commanding officer of the Northern Areas, Director-General of Military Intelligence (MI), and later the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He also served as Corps Commander Gujranwala and Quartermaster General at the General Headquarters (GHQ).
In November 2022, Munir was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff. He remains the only army chief in Pakistan’s history to have led both MI and ISI, and he is also the first to have received the Sword of Honour — the military’s most prestigious training award.
